May, 1845.] 243 



and one ant-ocular plate, which is pentagonal ; the supra-orbitar plate is pen- 

 tagonal, the inferior margin being curved to receive the upper margin of the 

 eye; the occipital plates are pentagonal, larger than the other plates; the eyes 

 are of moderate size and projecting; there are eight superior labial plates, the 

 sixth and seventh are the largest; the neck is slender; the body of moderate 

 size ; the tail is short and tapering ; the body and tail are covered with smooth 

 quadrangular scales. 



Colour. — Head above and upon the sides, as far as the inferior margin of the 

 orbit, black; irides ; body black above, the cuticle being removed, ash- 

 coloured upon the sides ; there are two white vittaj, extending, one on each side 

 of the body and tail, as far as the extremity of the latter ; a row of minute 

 white spots extends along the sides of the neck and anterior half of the body, 

 more indistinct in the former ; there is also upon the sides of the neck a row of 

 dark coloured spots, more or less oval ; under surface of chin, throat, abdomen 

 and tail, of a light straw colour. 

 Abdominal scuta 156 : subcaudal 36. 



Dimensions. 



Feet. Inches. 

 Length of head, ... f 



Greatest breadth, ... _7_ 



' 1 6 



Length of body, 1 5 



Length of tail, ... 5 



Coluber fuliginosus. 



Description. — Head small, depressed, covered like the rest of this genus with 

 nine plates ; the rostral plate is of moderate size, incurvated below, rounded 

 superiorly ; there are two anterior and two posterior frontal plates, the former 

 are quite small, the latter much the larger, they are quadrangular ; the vertical 

 plate is small, hexagonal, broadest in front, more extended in the lateral than 

 the longitudinal direction ; there are two occipital plates, which are larger than 

 either of the others; the supra-orbitar plates are quadrangular; there are two 

 posterior orbitar plates, and there is no ant-ocular plate ; the loral plate extends 

 backwards as far as the eye ; there are two nasal plates, with the nostril placed 

 between them ; there are six superior labial plates, the sixth is the largest ; the 

 eyes are small and slightly projecting ; the neck is slender ; the body of mode- 

 rate size, covered with smooth quadrangular scales ; the tail is tapering. 



Colour. — Body and tail dark brown ; upper part of head and sides brown as 



far as the inferior margin of the orbit; irides ; upper jaw, chin, throat, 



under parts of abdomen and tail, light straw colour — the latter mottled with 

 brown. 



Abdominal scuta 158 : subcaudal 28. 



This species very much resembles the C. fuscus, for the young of which it 

 might be taken ; it differs from it, however, in the form of the head, which is 

 much more depressed, and in the arrangement and form of its plates ; the tail 

 also is much shorter. 



